I am curious about the foreign response to the USDA's proposed organic
rules. I am writing an article for the Northeast Organic Farming
Association newsletter about this particular aspect; I'm also involved in
an independent study project about the foreign response (and other
aspects) for school.
I would love to hear comments from anyone involved in the international
organic farming community: representatives of foreign certification
agencies; producers and marketers who are involved in importing or
exporting organic foods with the US; farmers, consumers, or even
simply residents of other countries who are concerned about the issue and
have heard comments from groups in your country.
I am particularly interested in answering the following questions: what
is the foreign response to the US proposed rules? What do you think might
happen if the US rules are passed as proposed (assume whatever you want
about the issues they left "up for comment")? Would IFOAM or its
member-certifiers continue to accept US certification agencies as members,
given the constraints the USDA would place on US certifiers? What parts of
the rule do foreign representatives and consumers find most objectionable?
Whew. Any comment, really, would be most appreciated. Unfortunately, my
deadline for the article is Wednesday, the 18th (so write soon!). But I am
also interested in this discussion in the longer term, of course.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Rob Fetter
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T. Robert Fetter trf@student.umass.edu
Ag. & Resource Economics
U. of Mass - Amherst "We are each poets and painters,
Class of '99 bricklayers and revolutionaries.
But we are all mapmakers..."
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